There's Nothing Sweeter than Hell Itself
by breathinginneverland
Summary: When you feel unwanted things never seem to go right. Her Father left, Her Mother's in depression and she wants what she can't have. Echo Nysa's years at Hogwarts are going to be dangerous. Bullying sessions, Self-hate and even a war happens. But if romance blossoms from all this, it's worth something, right?
1. New Beginnings

**A/N- **Please note that this is only chapter one, as if I started with where I wanted this story to go you would be awfully confused. You do not have to read chapter one I don't mind you waiting for chapter two where it gets interesting but you can do what you want, I don't own you. This isn't really the most interesting start but every character must have a heart breaking background. So sit back, take a gander at the beginning of this story and don't forget to review after you're done.

**Chapter One. **

Echo Nysa stared mindlessly at her parents arguing. Her small, fragile frame was nuzzled up against the arm of a couch. She seemed so intrigued with the fighting, she knew she shouldn't have been, she was only twelve at the time and knew nothing of what the yelling meant but her thoughts couldn't help but place the actions into words. It was like there were little voices in her head describing what she was watching, as If it was a book. By all means, she was nowhere near having schizophrenia, Echo just thought differently than other people. She stood up slowly; fixing her nice blouse that Mother had given her last fall. Going down the long hallway, she tried to focus on how many steps it took to get to her bedroom but the sound of her feet got drowned out by the constant yelling coming from the kitchen. Echo didn't like yelling, she was actually a very strange person when it came to yelling, she hated when other people did it but she had a temper as short as a first year. Her hazel eyes scanned the pictures placed along the wall; baby pictures, a very Christmas portraits, but there was one that caught her eye, a Hogwarts class of 1971 in the Great Hall. Her parents were in it, looking at each other, smiling then going in for a peck on the lips, A couple of students making funny faces and then laughing their heads off about something that was going on be hide the camera. The picture stopped before you found out if they ever kissed or what the kids were laughing at, Echo wondered how many of those people are happy now or if they even remember that picture being taken but out of all her thoughts she couldn't help but notice how much happier her mother looked in some of those pictures, before she was pregnant, before she was born. Echo reached her bedroom, her fingertips hitting the cold doorknob, not even getting the chance to turn it. There was a large slam from the back of the house which made Echo jumped and frankly, quite scared. It was if nobody in the house was breathing the air was so still. She didn't want to go find out what it was, as fear of what she might find. Instead, she boldly walked into her room, ignoring the sounds of a faint weeping that was coming closer and closer. She knew what had happened and she needed to write about it. She quickly slammed her door and hopped on her bed, her hands diving into her bed side table to grab her parchment and quill. She didn't get far into writing as she heard a knock. Quickly placing her creations under her blanket, her mom stepped in. A larger woman with strawberry blonde hair and who Echo had inherited her hazel eyes from.

"Come in." Echo whispered. She didn't think her mother heard her but decided to come in any way. Her cheeks were tear stained and there was a bruise on her fore-arm than was slowly turning yellow.

"Hey, sweetie." Echo, even at the age of twelve, knew something was wrong and didn't feel good about what was going to happen. "You have to promise me, that what I'm about to tell you, you're going to stay strong and you're not going to cry because I want you to be strong and not weak like mommy, okay?"

"Okay."

"Daddy has gone on a bit of a break…from us. I'm not sure if he's going to come back but he does love you, okay sweetie?"

"Okay."

"And, we cannot stay in this house"

"I like this house." She did. She felt comfortable and cozy, it wasn't the largest house around but it's the one she's spent her childhood in. Her first words were in this room and she learned to walk outside on the porch. She didn't want to leave.

"I know, I know you do but we don't have a lot of money now and we have to stay with Auntie Narcissa for a bit, is that fine?"

Even if Echo had said no, it wouldn't have changed her mothers mind. What was her opinion going to matter then? They had no financial aid and if they didn't have a roof over their heads then what would they do then? The hurt and sorrow in her mother's eyes cut her to the core, she felt so helpless. She knew if she was older she could find a job, make payments on the house and cook dinner every night but right now, she could do nothing and that's what hurt her the most. She made a silent vow to never disappoint her mother. To work as hard as she could to make her proud because all she had right now was her. She didn't want to make a big fuss so she pushed her feelings aside and nodded. Her mother smiled a sad smile and kissed on her on the forehead. They spent that night packing their bags and wasting no time what so ever. In a matter of day's they ended up at the Malfoy Manor, Echo clumsy stepped into the living room; it was her first time using floo powder. Her eyes grew large as she saw exactly how posh this home was. She had only seen one room and it was already bigger than her house.

"Belle…" Narcissa ran forward and hugged Echo's mother, Belle. She suddenly busted into tears and once again, Echo could do nothing but stare at her shoes. When you looked at the two families, you could see no resemblance, that's because there was no blood relation. Belle and Narcissa went to Hogwarts together, from first years to seventh they've been best friends. They've been through everything together and Belle didn't even have to ask to come stay, Narcissa offered once she heard the news.

"There are two guest rooms upstairs side by side, those are yours. Bathrooms across the hall and you know where the kitchen is." Echo could hear her mom whispered thanks and start moving up the stairs. Echo had spent a few of her favorite childhood moments in this house. She would have play dates with some of her earlier child hood friends, play hide and seek outside; she even got her first broken bone trying to ride a broom stick at the age of five right outside the window she was staring out of. She was younger than she was now and barely remembered any of it but the things she did remember meant a lot to her although some were far off, scattered memories.

Narcissa walked over to Echo, bending down to reach her height and pushing her bangs be hide her ear. Narcissa curls fell over her eyes, they seemed to say, "I'm here for you, everything's going to be okay."

"Do you like books, Echo?" Narcissus' voice was very soothing, she talked in a voice so low it was if the conversation was only meant for their ears.

"Yes, I also like to write." Narcissa smiled.

"Good news for you, we have a large library, filled with all sorts of books and if you feel like writing, I have plenty of parchment for you to use." Narcissa gave Echo a sympathetic smile and straightened herself up. She turned to her husband who Echo didn't notice until now. She had never made conversation with . She never remembered him being home whenever she was over. She had heard his voice once, yelling at Draco outside to come in for dinner but the yelling was so brutal, she was scared of him.

"Lucius, this is our guest, Echo. If there is anything you would like to run by her, please do." Narcissa turned her heels and left, her black heels clicking with every step.

"Echo, call me Mr. Malfoy. If you need anything please ask our house elves, for they would be happy to aid you. We have dinner together every night we are together, for that being breaks and summer. Meet us in the dining room at 5:45 sharp every evening." Echo wasn't really listening, just nodding her head like a good little girl and occasionally whispering a "yes sir." She was wondering where their son was. Draco Faris Dunamas Malfoy. Even though their families are connected, Draco went out of his way to make her life a living hell at school. He would purposely ignore her and when he did pay attention to her he was teasing her with names. Somehow he got his little gang of Slytherins to hate her too. Echo didn't know if his parents knew what he had done to her and she wondered why Draco did it. Their mom's loved each other so why did he hate her?

Once Lucius got finished explaining the rules to her, she quietly walked upstairs and into her new bedroom. The walls were plain, not at all like the flowered wallpaper in her old house. The bed was a powered blue color and it only had three pieces of furniture in it; A desk, a vanity and a trunk. Her ripped at the seams leather bag was already place on her bed, slightly open. She walked over and lifted the trunk, her school books were there along with her uniform and other school needs. Opening her bag, she unpacked everything as fast as she could, the time was almost 5:45 and she didn't want to be late, not wanting to be a rude guest. The last thing she unpacked was the picture of the class of 1971. For some reason, she liked the photo. She slid in into her pillow case and changed into something a bit more fancy, it seemed like everything in this house cost more than her whole life.

She decided with a ruffled yellow top and a pair of red jeans, even though it was winter break and the air outside was chilly, she wore a short-sleeved short as the house was toasty warm. The time hit 6:42 and she decided to head down, taking note of pictures or portraits on the wall so she wouldn't get lost on her way back.

"Glad you could join us, Echo." The voice was so cringe worthy, so vomit trigging, she had to stop what she was doing and look at the boy. Draco Malfoy sat at the table, a cocky look on his face and ignorance filling up the air around him. He didn't fail to make eye contact with her, his eyes screaming; "This is my house and now you live by my rules." Echo strolled to the dinner table, sitting by her mother who had cleaned up since she last saw her. The house elves served dinner, refilling their drinks when it got half way full. Echo wasn't use to this, she couldn't believe how good the meal was even though she had to keep her mouth shut about it, Draco was aware she wasn't known to the higher things in life and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of how amazed she was, She wouldn't hear the end of it.

"So, Echo. You're a student at Hogwarts? Tell me, what house?" Lucius picked up his red wine and took a sip, intrigued with what she had to say.

"I'm a Gryffindor." Lucius mouth suddenly formed into a sneer, Draco was hiding a mischievous smile and Echo was picking at her food. She knew what the Malfoy's thought about Gyffindors; all of them were cocky good for nothing fools. It wasn't her fault for being placed in the house of Red and Gold, she was actually quite proud of it.

"I'm just letting you know, Echo, that I'm not the fondest of Gryffindors-"

"Lucius, please-" Narcissa tried to interrupt but Lucius being the controlling man he is, just simply talked louder to drown her out.

"And I will not stand a Gryffindor in my house. As you have no where else to go I suggest you do not engage in conversation with me unless it's life or death. Agreed?"

"I can't help what house I'm in, I actually think it's quite absurd that you would say that-"

"Do we agree?" Echo took a side glance at her mother, tears were at the rims of her eyes. She knew with the slightest wrong move, they would be kicked out. Echo didn't want that for her mom and she defiantly didn't want to be why.

"Yes, sir." Draco chuckled and got a scorned look from his mother. There wasn't another conversation the rest of dinner and Echo was dreading the next days to come. It didn't take long for Lucius to realize there was nothing else to discuss and dismissed everybody. She didn't want to seem to eager to leave so she took her time going up to her room.

"Look's like we're living together now, Nysa. I strongly suggest you take orders from me because with one sentence I can get you and your mother kicked out."

"Can it, Malfoy. It's not like I want to live here." Draco was lingering be hide her, she wasn't sure why, rather that he wanted to torture her on her bad luck or if his room was in the same direction as hers.

"Nor do I want you to live here but neither of us have a say so, do we?"

"Just don't talk to me." Echo stormed off, there was something about him that just made her blood feel as if it was on fire. Her temper got the best of her while he was around him. She didn't like it.

Echo sighed deeply as she closed the door be hide her. Her new bedroom didn't feel like home, it just didn't feel right. She tucked herself in the egg-shell white covers, praying that she would get some sleep. Shutting her eyes, she tried to think happy thoughts but she couldn't focus with all the whispering going on down stairs, she thought everybody would be asleep by now. Didn't matter anyway, she didn't shut-eye, school started in 3 days and she couldn't wait to get back with people who actually cared about her.

* * *

A/N-_ Echo's last name means new beginning in Greek and Draco's middle names, Faris Dunamas, means lover and powerful in Greek. _

Seems a bit rush, I know but I didn't know how else to write it and as a writer sometimes you just have to go out on a limb. It's my writing, that's what makes it unique. Now, if you have any comments, suggestion or you just plain out wanna bitch about it please feel free too, Any review suites my fancy. There's also a button for you to keep track of this here story because it WILL get good, Pinky promise. Now, I'm going to go eat Chinese and watch Glee, bitches. Peace out, Girl scout.


	2. Control Over Who?

_**A/N- Hello, again, everybody. There has been a slight authors change, Echo is now thirteen. She is going to be starting her third year in this story. Thank you and enjoy. **_

* * *

The next morning, Echo was awoken by a small house elf cleaning out her draws. Echo rubbed her eyes and sat up in her twin sized bed, trying to ignore the fact of how well rested she felt. The beds were so comforting, nothing like she had ever felt, and it seemed as if they had been sprayed with Lilac before she drifted off to sleep.

The small elf was at work, trying not to wake Echo but that hope was long gone. Echo sat herself up in her bed and pulled her knees to her chin, watching the elf carry on. The small thing was humming a familiar tone while dusting off her desk, Echo smiled. She loved house elves. No, she had never had one but she thought they were precious and deserved a lot more attention than they got.

"What's your name?" Echo asked softly. Even though her question was barely above a whisper, the house elf jumped and dropped its duster.

"Oh, Master Nysa, I'm terribly sorry! I'm so sorry for waking you! Please if-"The house elf rambled on as if it had done something terribly wrong.

"I was just wondering your name and I'm not your master…the Malfoy's are."

"Oh, yes. Well, you see, Master Malfoy told me to listen to your orders as well and my name is," Echo looked worriedly at the creature, she didn't mean to stir up so much anxiety with the poor thing, she simply wanted to know her name. "My name is, Penny, mam. Pleasure to meet you." She did this cute little bow where her shirt….? Apron? Potato sack fell off her shoulders.

"Hello, Penny. My name is, Echo."

"Why, I know what your name is. You've become a hit around this house." Penny rose from her bowing position to meet Echo with a welcoming gaze. Echo wasn't really too fond of eye contact but she did it anyway to show she did care about her. She knew from the way the Malfoy's acted that Penny didn't get the treatment she deserved or needed. She could tell from her skinny bones.

"Penny almost forgot! Breakfast is served eight to ten and if you miss it, you will get nothing until lunch. Words of Master Malfoy." Echo nodded and looked at the clock hanging on wall, it was nearly 9:30 but she wasn't that starved which was strange because usually, she woke up hungry. Due to the dinner last night though, she could go all day without eating. She wondered how all of them keep a well fit figure with all the food they eat.

"I guess I'll go downstairs now. Thank you, Penny." Echo pushed her knees away from her chin and over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the wooden floor quite hard, she was expecting carpet, the carpet at her old house. She sighed and stretched, you could practically feel the summer air caving in from the windows of the house and Echo wondered if they would let her take a walk outside.

Exiting her room to the sound of Penny humming, the house was so quite. Echo heard the white sound bouncing off the walls and into her ear drums, which was frankly quite annoying. She entered the kitchen and noticed the only person sitting at the small table near the round window was Narcissa. Echo glanced down at her flimsy blue tee-shirt and grey sweatpants and felt a bit ashamed next to Narcissa who was dressed to the nines, even at such an early hour.

"Good morning, Echo." She nodded her head as a reply and walked over to the counter where fruit was laid out along the counter tops Everything was fresh, the apples, the bananas, she was even certain the pitcher at the end containing orange juice was freshly squeezed this morning which probably wasn't true because, let's be honest, the house elf's weren't strong enough to handle that.

"Do you have all the school supplies you need for this upcoming year, dear?" Echo could get the vibe that she was trying to start conversation but Echo never really liked engaging in small talk with women that she was depending on. Echo never liked the idea of depending on somebody, even if she was only thirteen.

"Yes mam, there were many books in my chest when I arrived."

"Do you have weekend clothing and a new set of robes?"

"Yes mam." Echo lied through her little white teeth. The robes that she wore last year fit fine even though the material now rose up to her ankles and the clothing she had for the weekends were hand-me down's from cousins but that was fine by Echo's rules. She didn't go out anyway on the weekends; she stayed inside the dormitory and would read a book or make small talk with her dorm-mates.

"Well, we are going out today to get Draco's school supplies and I insist you come along. No buts."

"Yes mam." Echo's eyes scanned through the food along the counter tops once more but suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. She knew that spending the whole day with Draco wasn't going to be easy but she also knew that if she stayed in the Manor it would be even harder. Her mother's sobs could be heard from miles way last night when she was trying to sleep and Echo didn't want to hear those again. Echo grabbed an apple and left the kitchen as swiftly as possible, avoiding anymore contact with Narcissa at all cost.

It was finally beginning to set in Echo's mind that this was her new home. She really couldn't process how fast everything became like this, this time last week she was at her old home. And she still couldn't believe that this was going to be her home for a while, she knew it was going to be more than a year. There was no way her Mother could find a job with such well pay that they could be out of here in that fast of time. Echo squeezed the apple in her hand as she walked up the stairs. Her eyes were filling up with tears as her thoughts came together. She realized how unworthy her mom felt, she could only imagine how _bad _she felt, there was no other word to describe it. Imagine, not being able to give your daughter all the basics, being left by the only person who's loved you your whole life and having to put all pride aside to live in a wonderful Manor own by your best friend. That "wonderful manor" is a constant reminder of a life you could have had.

Then a thought hit Echo right in the heart, a thought so strong that she had to hold onto the railing to keep from breaking down right there on the staircase. This was all her fault.

If she had never became pregnant with Echo, she would be able to provide for herself, find a full-time job, find another man and find a small flat probably uptown. But with Echo, you must provide for two, find a man whose okay with a divorced wife and kid and paying rent for two is difficult. She was a burden. A weigh down, a load and she knew that her mother would be happy if she wasn't around to ruin it. That's all she wanted though, for her mother to be happy.

"Good morning, Nysa." Echo breathed out long sigh before putting on a brave face.

"Good morning, Draco." She whispered, brushing past him on the way back to her room. She had concluded that all Draco wanted was the satisfaction of her anger and frankly, she was not going to let him have it this morning. Her emotions were rattled currently and she hated herself for being such a girl.

"Seems like you've made yourself cozy here, don't get too use to it." Draco yelled at Echo as she was walking away. Usually she would had replied with a sassy remark but even if from be hide she seemed to have her head held high, tears were streaming down her face as she walked to her bedroom.

* * *

"I don't know." Was Echo's most used phrase of the day and each time she used it she felt dumber and dumber. Narcissa was an expert on what to buy for the school year but each time she would ask a simple question, "What shoe size are you?" "Would you prefer red stockings or gold stockings" Echo didn't know what to reply with. She had never had a full day of shopping and she felt very much out of her element in Diagon Alley. The busy streets and overpriced material sent her anxiety to an ultimate high. It seemed as if Narcissa didn't let Echo nor Draco leave a store without buying something, it was in her code. Echo's small frame was being weighed down with bags as they came into their last stop of the day.

"It's the year, Mother. This year, Slytherin will beat Gryffindor at Quidditch. "Echo raised her eyebrow at the boy in doubt; there was no way that was happening. Echo watched Draco admire the broomsticks and slightly run his fingers down the wood, completely ignoring the "Do Not Touch" signs. Echo didn't play Quidditch, nor did she have any interest in it. She was one to watch every single game, even if her house wasn't competing.

"Something the matter, Nysa? Caught a whiff of something terrible or does you face stay in that position all twhe time?" Echo must have zoned out because Draco was staring straight at her with a snobbish look upon his face.

"No, just trying to consider how in the world Slytherin could win this year."

"I'll have you know-"

"ECHO!" Draco literally got pushed into the display case of broomsticks as two tall figures came busting into the shop. Echo dropped everything she was holding and ran into the arms of the boys.

"Fred! George!" This is the first time Echo had truly smiled in the past week. She hadn't seen her friends all summer and she was glad the first two she saw were Weasley's. She had a special sort of bond with the red-heads. Echo and Ron meet during the sorting and everything else fell together because once you know one Weasley, you know all of them.

"Where have you been-"

"We haven't seen you in ages-"

"Ron tried to write but our owl kept sending them back."

"I haven't gotten any letters but it doesn't matter! I've missed you guys!" Echo looked up at the boys with her short height of 4'8 and the boys at a 5'11 and still growing. The feeling that was inside her chest felt like it was about to burst. Echo was on the edge of dancing when the twins went off on another speech.

"We're here with mum and dad."

"And all the siblings of course."

"You must come say hi." Echo stopped for a minute and realized that Fred and George didn't know she was staying with Draco. They weren't aware that because he was in the same shop as them currently, was because she came with him. She could see Draco out of the corner of her eye sneering at her with a convenient smirk on his face, waiting to see what she was going to say.

There was no way in hell Echo was going to let them know of it either. She wasn't going to give up her pride and she wasn't going to let Draco have the satisfaction.

"I really can't come right now, I get to see everyone at school in two days and don't you want the honor of saying that you were the first two to see me after all summer?"

"No! Come on!" Fred tugged on Echo's arm a bit, taking a few steps; she knew that if she took stroll out of the store Narcissa would come running after her.

"Oh No!" Echo pretended to glance up at the clock placed along the top of the ceiling. "It's five! My curfew was five! I have to get home!" Fred let go with a pout and watched her arm dangle to her side. "Let me finished up shopping here and I'll see you in two days, alright?" Echo could practically feel Draco's eye's burning into the back of her skull and it made her undergo extreme uneasiness.

"Alright but that's only because we want you to be a good girl." George bent down to kiss her on top of the head, as did Fred. Echo nodded at them as she watched them leave the shop. The second they stepped out, Draco's voice rang out and you just hear the cockiness in his voice.

"I feel like I have control over you, this is nice." Echo noticed the insane amount of hair gel in his hair and wondered why in the world you would let your hair suffer like that.

"But, don't I have control over you?" Draco raised an eyebrow. "How would your little reputation be effected if people knew you had a low class, half-blood, Gryffindor living with you?"

"And how would they feel about _you _if they knew it was because of you Father."

"Nobody would believe you."

"That's where you're wrong."

"Is everybody ready to go?" Narcissa pulled herself into the conversation, her arms now fully loaded with Draco's Quidditch gear for the year. It seemed as if she was completely oblivious to the tension between Echo and Draco currently. A frown planted across Echo's olive complexion and Draco had a smirk that would take any other girl's breathe away, but not hers.

"Couldn't be more ready, Mother." Narcissa smiled and lead the way out of the store and into the streets.

"Ready for the year, Nysa?" Draco murmured as he sauntered past the girl. Echo pursed her lips. She couldn't be more ready.

* * *

_**A/N- Did you know that in the next chapter she is actually going to be in Hogwarts and the drama is going to get started. Now you do. **_


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